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NEW Line’s terrific thriller diller chiller “Fracture” starring Sir Anthony Hopkins, Ryan Gosling, David Strathairn is as gripping as those old Alfred Hitchcock jobs. I sat directly behind Ryan at the Cinema Society screening, and seeing him off-screen seeing himself on-screen was almost as good. Watching intently, chewing gum, he hunched forward on the edge of his seat at about the same time Sean Penn, Epatha Merkerson, Ian Schrager and others of us hunched forward on the edge of our seats. And he laughed every time scene-stealer Hopkins proved he’s more than just another pretty face.

In this one, Anthony Hopkins is again a villain but no Hannibal Lecter. No eating people. Which reminds me: There are these two cannibals. One says, “I hate my mother-in-law.” And the other says, “So just eat the potatoes.”

Anyway, Oscar nominee Ryan, no lightweight himself, talked to me about Hopkins. “I was thrilled to do this movie because I wanted to work with Tony. He’s my hero. The guy’s bulletproof. There’s just no actor around like him. It’s not tricks. I watched his every move hoping to dismantle some of his genius.

“He’s classically trained, and I was a little apprehensive in the first days working with him, but it wasn’t like I was even trying to compete. What I had in this film was a front-row seat watching the master work. My character couldn’t even actually enjoy his character because, working with him, I always felt I wished I could do it over again one more time.”

This master himself blew the screening because of our nor’easter. Due in Sunday, he got washed out. And Monday Teterboro Airport was a river, so his private plane couldn’t land. I guess when you’re a sir and classically trained and an Oscar winner, flying commercial into places like unflooded JFK is not an option.

SO who’s hustling a book? The new Judge Ito-lite. Remember Ito out in L.A. on the O.J. case? Got himself famous, and today nobody except his family cares? Well, dear ones, comes now that Florida beaut who sat in on the Anna Nicole sitcom. We are speaking of former Bronx cabbie Judge Larry, 56, who if he ever needed an operation would find the surgeon removed his gavel. Who laughed, cried, mugged for his close-up and was more annoying than Jiminy Glick. Desperate to be famous, to get a judge show, to be on TV (where he’d be possibly passable because it’s called “a vast wasteland”), he’s now trying to sell a book on his experience. May publishers say, “Let us not hear ye hear ye.”

GORE lore. Not running but not out of the running. Oozing from his camp is he’s lying low to enter as a white knight if the front-runners down the line knock each other out. After everyone else is beaten up he’d come in – like maybe Octoberish – because these days he has no negativity factor. No voting record to overcome, no positions on anything except the environment. And he’s got millions. His own. Plus a team because, besides his book, documentary and another book due out on government, he’s got concerts coming up, so he can get himself front-and-center onstage, in newspapers, covered by TV and wrapped around clean green fresh air, pure water, the flag and America’s future.

Also, this guy already has a whole Internet base in place because he’s got his own cable network in 30 million homes. Critics pooh-pooh’d Current TV two years ago when this San Fran-based channel developed the idea to air short videos cranked out by amateurs. Called it clueless, newsless, lifeless. A limp noodle. Well, today smartmouths are eating this limp noodle since it’s now worth, give or take a few, a billion dollars.

In other words, he’s ready to go . . . If . . .

‘TIS the season to spotlight minority basketball players. Comes now Shay Doron, who’s on her way to headlines even without Don Imus. A nice Jewish girl, she’s the first Israeli lady in the Women’s National Basketball Association. Her émigré parents, both athletes, settled in Great Neck. She played ball at Christ the King High School in Queens then onto the U of Maryland and a team that won the 2006 Women’s NCAA championship. Her wish to be a member of the New York Liberty comes true May 2.

READER Freddie Klein got a call on his cell asking for “Barbara, please.” He said, “Wrong number.” Got a second call. “Barbara, please.” He said, “Wrong number.” Third time, “Barbara, please.” This time he whispered, “Yes?” And the caller said, “Shall we meet same time same hotel?” And he whispered back, “Yes,” and hung up.